Ore sampling machine



June 9, 1959 A. F. BLYTH I ORE SAMPLING MACHINE 1 R m M m m m5 WP. Q m w Y 5 n m m w e m J d e l H ATTORNEY! June 9, 1959 A. F. BLYTH 2,889,709

ORE SAMPLING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1956 -5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F.IE E:+

INVENTOR. Andrew Irfi/y/h ZMXL.

A. F. BLYTH ORE SAMPLING MACHINE June 9, 1959 Filed June 27, 1956 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 F1'E E| INVENTOR. Andrew F b/gfh ATTORNE v5 June 9, 1959 A. F. BLYTH 2,88 ,7

ORE SAMPLING MACHINE" Filed June 27, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

narew f'fi/yf/z ATTORNEYS June 9, 1959 A. F. BLYTH 2,889,709

ORE SAMPLING MACHINE Fj led June 2'1, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIE E,

. i INVENTOR! 3g Andrew F Blgfh United. tatcs Patent ORE SAMPLING MACHINE Andrew Francis Blyth, Lima, Peru, assignor to Marcona Mining -Company, Lima, Peru, a corporation of Nevada Application June 27, 1956, Serial No. 594,262

12 Claims. (CL 73-423) This invention relates generally to ore sampling devices and particularly to devices of this character which are adapted to be utilized in connection with collecting or removing quantities of materials from an endless conveyer of the belt type without stopping the progress of the conveyer.

In the handling of ore and other fungible goods which may be carried on endless conveyers of this type, it is frequently desirable to select samples of the ore or goods at predetermined times. The time of sampling may depend upon the quantity of material carried on the conveyer or it may depend upon specific time intervals. In other words, a sampling may be taken when a predetermined quantity, as for example, a specific poundage or tonnage of material has been advanced by the belt or it may, for example, be taken every ten minutes.

By way of example, when iron ore is being loaded upon vessels, it is frequently desirable to take one sample of every five hundred tons of ore. This may be accomplished by passing the ore over a weightometer or scales which will indicate when five hundred tons have been transported by the conveyer at which time a sample may be taken. However, the reason for and the timing of such. sampling is not critical in this invention. The

problem isnot a new one and various attempts to-solve y it have been made in the past. For example a conveyer belt may. be stopped and the sample may be removed.

therefrom by hand. Another solution has been to provide twoconveyer belts and to take a sampling from the material as it flows over the end of one belt onto the; next. {This sampling is preferably done by moving a sampler or box of predetermined volume through the falling mass and here again, the sampling may be done either on a time basis or on a quantity basis depending upon the reason for, the sampling.

flt'is, an object of this invention to provide an ore sampling device which may be utilized-in connection with a, single conveyer belt.

It'isia further object of this invention to provide an ore'sampling device of this kind which may be used to remove a sample from a moving belt without making it necessary to halt the movement of the belt. l

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of this type. which advances with the belt and which removes the sample therefrom in response to either manual or automatic control.

It isia further object of this invention to provide a device of this kind which is provided with an automatic safety feature, to wit: automatic means for disengaging thes'coop device from the body of ore and from the conveyer belt should the sampling apparatus become inoperative for some reason.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of this kind which is provided with a resiliently mounted belt engaging member whereby a substantially spill proof passageway is provided between thesideof the conveyer belt and the discharge spout into whichthe sample is urged.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of this kind which may not only be utilized in connection with iron ore, for example, but which may be utilized in connection with a sampling operation of any material which is adapted to be transported by a conveyer belt.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a conveyer belt and ore sampling car incorporating my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation from the ore receiving hopper side of the device.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional detail taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a schematic view showing the belt engaging plate which is shown in position against the belt.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the belt engaging plate retracted in an out-of-belt engaging position.

Figure 7 is a side view of the belt engaging plate and ore hopper and ore chute in retracted position as illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side view of an ore conveyer belt showing the track layout upon which the ore'sampling car is adapted to operate.

As illustrated particularly in Figures 4 and 8 my device is adapted to be used in connection with a conveyer belt 10 of the general type which is adapted to be supported by belt carrier rollers 11 which in turn are supported by side support members 12 and a suitable base frame assembly 13. The belt '10 and the rollers 11 and'their supporting framework 12 and 13 are conventional and form no particular part of this invention other than, of course, to provide a suitable conveyer with which the ore sampling car may be utilized. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the belt 10 may be caused to be advanced by frictional engagement with a driving drum or pulley or a plurality of driving drums or pulleys, none of which form a part of this invention and none of'which are illustrated herein. H

Referring to Figures 4 and 8, my ore sampling assem--, bly consists of acar 16 which is adapted to be moved along tracks 17 which are supportedin any suitable manner and consist of parallel rails 18 which are supported upon a framework 19. The left hand' end (see Figure 8) of the tracks 17, and designated at 21', may be referred to as the rest and ore discharging section while the portion designated generallyat 22 may be termed the starting incline. The portiondesignated generally at 23 may be termed the ore sampling Zone and the portion indicated generally at 24 maybe termed i the safety run-oif portion. Generally speaking the car 16 starts fromitheposition 21 in responseto either man ual or automatiocontrol and usually dependent upon the quantity of ore which has been conveyed by the belt. 1!} past a predetermined point. The car. 16 gains speed on the incline 22.. As the .car 16 enters the Zone 23 "it is travelling at. the same speed as the conveyer belt car will be urged up the incline 24 so, that the ore engage: ,1

ing scoops will become disengaged from the ore and the belt maycontinue to be operated without harm thereto.

As indicated particularly in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 the car 16 is provided with a framework which consists genenerally of side rail assemblies 26 and a pair of transverse vertical frame members 27, which may be secured together iii any suitable way, as, for example, by welding. The side frame members 26 generally overlie the parallel rails 18 and are provided with suitable bearings 28 which support short axles 29 and flanged wheels 31 which ride the rails 18 and permit the car 16 to be moved longitudinally along the rails.

The car 16 is adapted to be driven generally in the following manner. A source of power such as an electric motor 32 is provided with a multiple pulley assembly 33 which drives the belts 34 which engage the pulley 36. The pulley 36 is suitably keyed to a counter shaft 37 to the ends of which are secured sprockets 38. The sprockets 38 engage the drive chains 39 and drive the sprockets 41 which are keyed to the shafts 29 and drive the wheels 31.

The motor 32 may either be an electric motor as indicated in the drawings or may be a small internal cornbustion engine. However, regardless of the source of energy, the motor should be reversible or should be provided with some reversing mechanism so that the car 16 may be driven in either direction along the tracks 17.

The control of the starting and stopping of the motor 32 and its driving or reversing the car may also be either manual or automatic. In the event the control is manual it is apparent that an operator may ride the car 16 and may, by visually observing the condition of the device, start the motor 32, reverse the same, or otherwise operate the car. In the event the control is automatic, certain stops may be positioned along the track 17 which serve to trip selective switches to open and close designated circuits, etc. However, the specific means of controlling the motor 32 does not constitute a critical portion of this invention and it is only necessary, in order to secure proper working of my device, that the controls be simple and efiective and able to withstand substantial wear and tear and abuse.

The parallel vertical plates 27 which form a portion of the framework of the car are secured to the side frames 26 and are spaced from each other by lateral cross members 42. The plate members 27 are each provided with a transverse groove 43 which forms a track for the ore discharge scoop as will more fully hereinafter be explained. Preferably the grooves 43 are formed to generally conform to the lateral contour of the belt 10 which, as indicated particularly in Figure 3 is trough-like in cross section so that the body of ore or other material being carried thereby is generally retained in such a manner that it does not spill over the side edges of the belt 10. It will be noted, that while the general description previously given is true (see Figure 2) in that the left hand end, as viewed in Figure 2, the groove 43 is generally parallel to the belt 10, the right hand side of the slot 43 is not parallel but is at a slightly acute angle with respect thereto. The purpose of this angular difference will be more fully hereinafter explained.

The ore removing sweep or scoop assembly 44 consists generally of an articulated assembly. As viewed in Figures 2 and 4 the leading scoop-like member 46 consists of a pair of parallel side wing members and is used for separating or breaking up the keying of the ore. A plurality of tines, not shown, may be inserted therein for the purpose of further breaking up the keying of the ore. The scoop-like member 46 is followed by a scoop-like member 47 in the form of a blade whose general contour is similar to a bulldozer blade and which is provided with side walls which generally lie within the confines of the scoop-like member 46. A third scoop-like member 48 is adapted to engage the fines which remain on the belt and which are not scooped therefrom by the members 46 and '47. The member 48 consists of parallel side plates and a plate 48a on the lower edge of plate 48a is mounted a wire brush member 49 which is adapted to engage the belt 10 and sweep the fines therefrom. The construction of scoop-like member 48 and brush 49 is not critical but is shown in detail herein. It is apparent that, in order to obtain an accurate sampling, all of the material within a predetermined defined area on the belt must be removed from the belt. The plate 48a is adapted to extend to within a fraction of an inch or so of the upper surface of the belt 10 and the wire brush 49 attached thereto is spring urged downwardly as shown in Figure 4 in such a manner that it engages the upper surface of the belt 10 and removes everything therefrom. The blades of the scoop-like member 46, the side walls of the scoop 47 and the side plates of the member 48 prevent fall-in of ore into the sample and ensure that the sample taken is an accurate one. They also serve to prevent urging of one portion or another to the side of the scoop or sweep assembly 44. v p p The depth of travel of the members 46, 47 and 48 is determined by the grooves 43. However it is apparent that if the assembly 44 were moved to the extreme right as indicated in Figures 2 and 4 and were then brought downwardly, the assembly 44 would engage the right hand side edge of the belt 10 (see Figures 2 and 4) and badly scuff the same. By setting the right hand portion of the groove 43 at a slight angle with respect to the right hand side portion of the belt 10 it is apparent that the sampling ore will not scuif the side edge as it brushes over but will be lead downwardly in such a manner that it will engage the top edge of the belt 10 rather than the side edge.

The manner of supporting the scoop or sweep assembly 44 is illustrated generally in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The ends of the cross members 51 to which the upper por tions of the scoop or sweep assembly 44 are secured are provided with rollers 52 which ride in the tracks formed by the transverse grooves 43.

The scoop assembly is actuated by a pair of chains 54 whose ends are secured to the cross members 51 of the scoop assembly 44. The chains 54 are threaded over driving sprockets 56 which are mounted upon a shaft 57 which is operatively connected through sprockets 58 and chain 59 to a source of power 61 consisting of an electric motor. This source of power, like the motor 32, may either be electric or of the internal combustion type but it must also be reversible and may be automatically or manually controlled. When a sample of ore is to be removed, the scoop assembly 44 is passed through the ore from one side of the frame assembly 27 to the other.

As the ore is urged from the belt 10 by the scoop assembly 44 it passes over a belt engaging plate 66 into a chute 67 and then in an ore receiving hopper 68 is supported from one of the side frame members 26 in any suitable manner and is adapted to be discharged by moving the swinging bottom 69, about the point 71 so that the contents of the hopper 68 may be discharged from the open bottom thereof. The hopper 68 is rigidly supported by the side frame rail 70.

The belt engaging plate 66 and the chute 67, however, are movable. The belt engaging edge 72 of the belt engaging plate 66 is provided with a lug 73 at each end which are adapted to overlie the belt 10 when the device is in belt engaging position. That edge of the member 66 remote from the belt engaging edge is hinged to the chute 67, and the member 66 and the member 67 are adapted to slide laterally as indicated generally in Figures 5, 6 and 7. The member 66 is provided with a pair of coplanar rearwardly extending arms 74 each of which is provided with a slot 76. The members 74 are adapted to slide upon a frame assembly 77 which is formed integrally with the side portion 26. Bolts 78 extend upwardly from the member 77 through the slots 76 and guide the. members 66 and 67. A pair of levers 79 pivoted at point 81 engage pins 82 came members 74 by a lost motion linkage. Springs 83 normally urge the member 66 into belt engaging position as indicated.

However, I have provided a roller 84 which is adapted to rotate upon a structure 86 which is rigidly secured to the underside of the chute 67. The roller 84 is adapted to engage the cam track 87. When the roller 84 is disengaged from the track 87, as illustrated in Figure 5, the eflfect of the springs 83 is to urge the member 66 into engagement with the belt 10. However, when the roller 84 engages the track 87 as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, then and in that event the member 66 is urged away from the belt 10. The mounting of the plate 66 is such that both lateral and verticalvariations of the belt 10 are compensated for and the plate 66 constantly engagesthe belt 10 when roller 84 is not in engagement with the track 87.

The members 74 are provided with a pair of lugs 88 which are adapted to be engaged by the scoop assembly 44 when the same reaches the end of the sampling cycle, whereby the belt engaging plate 66 'Will become disengaged from the side ends of the belt 10.

Operation of my device may briefly be described as follows: W

Let it be assumed that ore, grain or other materials is being transported by an endless conveyor belt of the type indicated in the drawings and that it is desired that samples be taken therefrom at predetermined timed intervals or when predetermined quantities of the material have been conveyed past a'given point. It is preferable that the belt 10 be of the general type indicated, that is, that it be supported upon belt carrier rollers 11 which cause the belt to conform to a general trough-like contour as viewed in Figure 2. The car 16 is positioned on the tracks 17 and the rails 18 generally at the position 21 indicated as the rest and ore discharging positions. It must be borne in mind that when a car is so positioned, all ore engaging portions thereof, including particularly the ore scoop or sweep assembly 44 are out of engagement with any ore carried by the belt 10. The car is raised to a position above the general level of the belt 10. The scoop assembly 44 is drawn to the extreme right hand side of the device as viewed in Figures 2 and 4. The roller 84 is in engagement with the track 87 so that the belt engaging lip 66 is out of engagement with the belt 10. The swinging bottom of the hopper is positioned generally as shown in such a manner as to close the open bottom of the hopper. At a given signal the operator causes the motor 32 to be activated with the result that the car moves to the right as viewed in Figure 8 down the incline. The drive through the belts 34, chains 39, etc. is calculated to drive the car 16 at the same rate as the belt 10 advances. The incline permits the car 16 to come to speed.

The car 16 then enters that portion 23 of the track 17 known as the ore sampling zone. As the roller 84 becomes disengaged from the track 87, the springs 83 through the levers 79 urge the belt engaging member 66 from the position illustrated generally in Figure 6 to that illustrated in Figure 5, with the lugs 73 immediately overlying the edge of the belt 10 and the rollers 11. With the belt engaging plate 66 in this position it is apparent that ore may be passed from the belt 10 over the member 66 and onto the chute 67 without loss of ore between the member 66 and the belt 10.

The operator may then manually energize the motor 61 that causes the scoop assembly 44 to move to the left as viewed in Figure 2. The scoop like members 46 and 47 tend to break up the keying of the ore and move the bulk of the ore to be removed for a sample from the belt 10 over the member 66 and onto the chute 67. Because of the fact however that the right hand side of the belt 10, as viewed in Figure 2, is not exactly parallel to the slot 43 the members 46 and 47 will not scuff the edge of the belt 10 but will tend to come down upon the same and engage it from above. Thus the wire brush assembly 49 will engage the top rather than As the member 48 and the" brush assembly 49 sweep across the belt they remove the side edge of the belt.

16 by selective operation of the motor 32 and cause the car 16 to return to the start position 21. As the car 16 again starts up the incline 22 the roller 84 will engage the track 87 and retain the belt engaging plate 66 in retracted position. The operator may then stop the car. He may then reverse the motor 61 and return the scoop assembly 44 to the starting position or extreme right hand as viewed in Figures 2 and 4. This will serve to disengage the assembly 44 and the lugs 88 so that the only force retaining the belt engaging plate 66 in retracted position against the effect of the springs 83 is the engagement between roller 84 and the track 87. An operator may then swing the bottom 69 about point 71 R causing the contents of the hopper to be discharged through the open lower end thereof. The swinging bottom 69 will then be released and it will close the open end, of the hopper 68. The car is now in condition for subsequent cycling.

Let it be assumed however that at some point during the course of travel of the car along that portion of the track that we have heretofore referred as to the ore sampling portion, at which time the scoop assembly 44 is in engagement with the ore on the belt 10, that In such a case the car would power to the device fails. tend to be dragged along by the advancing ore. It is obvious that this is an undesirable condition. To prevent damage I have provided a safety run-out portion 24 to the track 17. As the car 16 is drawn to the run-out portion 24 it will ultimately start uphill as indicated in Figure 8 and when this occurs the scoop assembly 44 and the belt engaging plate 66 will be elevated out of and clear of engagement with the belt 10 and its contents. A suitable stop may 'be provided at the end of the safety run-out portion 24 to stop further advancement of the car.

I claim:

1. In a machine for removing samples of material from a mass of material carried by a moving conveyer belt, a sampling car, means for supporting said car for travel of said car in the direction of movement of said belt, means for causing said car to travel at substantially the same speed as the speed of movement of said belt and in the same direction as said belt, and means carried by said car and driven transversely of the belt for removing samples of material from the belt while the belt and the car are travelling at substantially the same speeds.

2. A machine as in claim 1 together with a chute carried by said car and spillage preventing means carried by said car, one edge of said means being normally adjacent the entrance to said chute and the other edge of said means being adapted to engage one side edge of the belt to permit discharge of the sample taken from the belt into the chute and to prevent spillage of material between the belt and the chute.

3. A machine as in claim 2 together with means for maintaining the spillage preventing means in engagement with said belt during the time a sample is being removed from said belt and out of engagement with said belt when a sample is not being removed from said belt.

4. A machine as in claim 2 together with a hopper carried by said car, said hopper serving to receive the material discharged into said chute.

5. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the means for supporting the car consists of a track disposed adjacent the conveyer belt, an intermediate portion of said track permitting removal of samples from said belt by said car, and the end portions of said track being elevated with respect to the intermediate portion of the track to maintain said car out of engagement with said belt.

6. In a machine for removing samples ofmaterial from a mass of material carried by a moving conveyer belt, a sampling car, means for causing said car to travel at substantially the same speed as the speed of movement of said belt and in the same direction as said belt, a scoop-like member carried by said car, means for moving said scoop-like member transversely over the belt to remove a sample from the belt While the belt and the car are travelling at substantially the same speeds.

7. A machine as in claim 6 whereinsaid scoop-like member includes means for preventing fall-in of material from the belt into the material selected-on the belt by the scoop-like member for the sample.

8. In a machine for removing samples of material from a mass of material carried by a moving conveyer belt, a sampling car, means for causing said car to travel at substantially the same speed as the speed of movement of said belt and in the same direction as said belt, a scoop-like member carried by said car, andmeans for moving said scoop-like member transversely over the belt to remove a sample from the belt while the :belt and the car are travelling at substantially the same speeds, the contour or upper surface of the belt in cross-section being substantially concave, said scoop-like member being moved in a path which substantially follows the contour of the belt. y

9 A machine as in claim 8 wherein the path of travel of the scoop-like member is such that during the initial movement of the scoop-like member the scoop-like mem her is a substantial distance above the upper surface of 8. the belt to {prevent the SCQOprllke member from engaging the side edge of the belt and damaging the belt.

10. ,In a machine for removing samples of material from the mass of material carried by a moving conveyer belt, a sampling car, meansforcausing said car to travel at substantially the same speed as the speed of movement of said belt and in the same direction as said belt, apair of scoop-like members carried by said car, and means for moving said scoop-like members transversely over the belt to remove a sample from the belt While the belt and the car are travelling at substantially the same speeds, the scoop-like members being arranged one behind the other, the forward scoop-like member serving to remove substantially all of the material required for the sample,

and the scoop-like member to the rear serving to remove the remainder of the sample from the belt.

11. A machine as in claim 10 wherein the rear scooplike member includes brush-like elements which are adapted tos'weep across the belt to remove the remaining portion of the sample fromthe belt.

12. A machine as in claim 11 wherein said scoop-like members include means for preventing fall in of material from the belt into the material selected on the belt by the scoop-like members for the sample.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kisser Dec. 30, Jordan June 27, Stenkovvski Mar. 20,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 3, 

